


Video Calling: Choi Jongho

by Thistley



Category: ATEEZ (Band)
Genre: Absent Family, Canon Compliant, Christmas, Crying, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Found Family, Gen, Holidays, Hurt Jung Wooyoung, Hurt/Comfort, It's quite open, Jung Wooyoung centric, Platonic Cuddling, Read as ship if you like, Sad Jung Wooyoung, Saying i love you but platonically, Team as Family, christmas gifts, idolverse
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-18
Updated: 2020-11-18
Packaged: 2021-03-10 06:27:10
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,264
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27619027
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Thistley/pseuds/Thistley
Summary: Wooyoung: am I invited for Christmas this year?(Sent: December 10th, 10:44am)Mom: you have known since last year that you are not invitedMom: it is enough of an embarrassment having a son with your inclinations, don’t make it worse by failing reading comprehension(Sent: December 18th, 17:20pm)-Or: Jung Wooyoung's family doesn't want him home for Christmas. Good job he has another family in Choi Jongho.
Relationships: Choi Jongho & Jung Wooyoung
Comments: 2
Kudos: 101





	Video Calling: Choi Jongho

**Author's Note:**

> As always, this is pure fiction, etc etc. I'm sure they all have lovely families irl.
> 
> Let me know what you think! A comment always makes my day.

_Wooyoung: am I invited for Christmas this year?  
(Sent: December 10th, 10:44am)_

_Mom: you have known since last year that you are not invited  
Mom: it is enough of an embarrassment having a son with your inclinations, don’t make it worse by failing reading comprehension  
(Sent: December 18th, 17:20pm) _

-

“Are you sure you can’t leave earlier?” San asked as the other members prepared to leave the dorm and head home for Christmas. “Aren’t you leaving it a bit late?”

“My parents are visiting family and only get back tomorrow,” Wooyoung lied smoothly. “I’ll head there once they’re home. Don’t worry about me!”

“He’ll get some peace and quiet for once,” Yeosang piped up from across the room.

San looked unconvinced but dropped the subject, instead zipping up his bag. “Well, don’t forget to text us that you got there safe, okay?”

Wooyoung laughed. “Yes, Mom.” His heart ached in his chest but he pushed it down, determined not to ruin his members’ festive season with his own emotional bullshit.

“You could at least pack your stuff,” Yeosang said. “Why do you insist on leaving it until the last minute?”

Wooyoung snorted and gestured to the mess that was the bedroom floor. “You say as you pack your bag to leave tomorrow. Is that not last minute?”

Yeosang grumbled but didn’t reply, instead stuffing a few more items of clothing into his bag.

“You should leave some space,” Wooyoung advised.

Yeosang looked up, confused. “Why? Have I forgotten something?”

Wooyoung smiled slightly as he reached under his bed and slid a small package wrapped in Christmas wrapping paper over to his friend. He slid a second one over to San. “To open on Christmas Day,” he explained. 

Yeosang looked a little taken aback. “But I didn’t get you anything! I didn’t realise we were -”

“We weren’t,” Wooyoung cut in, looking a little sheepish. “I wanted to. Just put it in your bags guys, honestly.” He rolled his eyes in a purposefully dramatic manner and cracked a grin when both of his friends laughed.

“Fine, fine.”

He let his smile dim a little as the two went back to trying to zip shut their overfull bags, glancing at his own that was sat outside his wardrobe ready to be packed. Or, that’s what the members assumed, anyway.

Wooyoung knew, deep down, that there was no way they wouldn’t catch on eventually. _’It’s okay if they realise once Christmas is over,_ he rationalised to himself. _’Then I’m not ruining anything._

He was honestly surprised that his acting skills were good enough for everyone else not to have picked up on his melancholy mood. He’d known he wasn’t invited ever since the disaster that was Christmas the year before - his parents’ disappointed expressions and curt words when he talked about his career, his group mates (his second family, he didn’t say.)

 _”It’s demeaning,”_ his Mom had said. _”We’ve seen some of those variety shows. And the outfits you wear!”_

_”Not to mention some of your behaviour with those boys. Particularly that...San,_ his Dad had added. 

He knew their opinions loud and clear. He’d just had naive hope that they’d change their minds, that family came before those bullshit opinions. He’d even been prepared to agree to not talking about his life at all. He hadn’t prepared himself for a blatant shut-down with an added scathing insult as the cherry on top of the highly disappointing sundae. 

Still, he’d kept his head up. He figured the breakdown could commence once his members had left and he was alone for two weeks. Now, faced with his members actually leaving, Wooyoung wasn’t so sure he could do it after all. 

\- 

Wooyoung kept the smile plastered on his face until the door closed behind Jongho (after a rare hug and a touching exclamation that he’d miss Wooyoung) and he was finally alone. Alone, in a dorm too big and empty for just one person. He beelined for his room only to stop in the doorway, heart hurting at how empty it looked. He turned and entered the next one, curling up in Jongho’s bed instead and wrapping the duvet around himself and over his head. 

He stayed there, sat silently, thoughts racing until the chime of a text snapped him out of it. 

_Mingi: home safe, talk to you guys soon  
(1 attachment)  
(Sent: December 22, 16:34pm)_

Wooyoung opened the attachment to see a picture of Mingi smiling happily, phone raised so the background of his family home could be seen, people milling about. Wooyoung noticed his Mom standing in the doorway and quickly closed the image, locking his phone and pressing his palms to his eyes. 

“Don’t cry, don’t cry,” he mumbled to himself. “It’s fine, it’s fine, it’s fine.” 

It absolutely wasn’t fine, but Wooyoung knew admitting that to himself would commence a full-on breakdown. Instead, he lay down properly and fell asleep in his maknae’s bed, ready to count down the days until his members arrived home again. 

\- 

The 3 days until Christmas day passed slowly. It was difficult to get any meaningful work done but any attempt to take advantage of being alone just reminded him of how he’s all alone. 

_“Who reacts like this to finally having alone time?”_ Wooyoung berated to himself. 

On Christmas morning he woke up groggily and swiped through his notifications. The group chat organising a video call for the afternoon, Twitter notifications...a social media notification for his sister. 

Wooyoung swiped it open. The social media page opened and directed him to a post his sister had been tagged in. It was a group photograph, everyone sitting around a Christmas tree, grins and laughter in place. “Merry Christmas to the Family,” the caption read in mocking type. 

Wooyoung felt tears well up in his eyes. Did he not count as family anymore? He scrolled a little further to reach the comments only to stop still at one. His mom. “It’s so lovely to have everyone together like this <3.” 

The tears spilt over, a sob ripping from his throat without permission. Wooyoung dropped the phone into the bedsheets and bruised his face in the blanket, remnants of Jongho’s aftershave filling his senses. It only made him cry harder. Tears for his loneliness, for his family that didn’t want him, for his other family that he was too scared to tell. 

He cried until his throat felt raw and his emotions were spent, the damp blanket still wrapped around him. He sat quietly for a few moments, wiping his eyes and calming himself down until the buzzing of a phone call underneath him made him jump. He scrambled for his phone. 

__Video Calling: Choi Jongho  
Accept<< >>Decline_ _

He ruffled his hair a little, wiped his eyes again and tried to make himself look presentable for swiping to accept. 

“Hey, Jongho!” he said as his friend’s face filled the screen. He was outside, sitting on a porch. 

_“Wooyoung, hey. Merry Christmas,”_ he said, smiling. _“You’re not up yet?”_

“Merry Christmas, Jongho,” Wooyoung said, smiling genuinely for the first time in days. “No, not yet.” 

Jongho appeared to scrutinise the background. _“You’re at your parents house?”_

“Yep,” Wooyoung lied, beginning to feel nervous at the line of questioning. 

Jongho hesitated. _“That’s funny, because...that’s my bed. At the dorm. That you said you weren’t at.”_

Wooyoung paused, cleared his throat and then just didn’t speak. He shrugged nervously. 

_“Have you been crying?”_ Jongho asked. His face was the picture of concern and Wooyoung felt awful. 

“I’m fine Jongho. Promise.” He held a pinky finger up. 

Jongho stared, unimpressed. _“No you’re not. What’s going on, why are you at the dorm?”_

Wooyoung sighed in defeat. “I couldn’t make it this year. My family aren’t home,” he said, lying carefully while still trying to be truthful. “I didn’t want to worry you guys.” 

_“Wooyoung…”_ Jongho sounded sad. _“You should’ve told us.”_

“I’m sorry.” Wooyoung felt traitorous tears begin to well up again. “I’m sorry.” He winced as his voice cracked. 

_“Wooyoung-”_ Jongho began to say. 

Wooyoung panicked. “Sorry, I have to go. Talk later!” He hung up abruptly and ignored the phone as it began to ring again, shrinking further into the blankets. 

Fuck. 

\- 

Jongho stared at the phone as his call rang through, Wooyoung evidently ignoring it. Frowning, he stood up to go outside, trying to type out a message as he walked. 

“Hey, baby,” his mom said as he made it to the kitchen. 

He leaned against the worktop and watched her cook. “Hey,” he said, sighing. 

She glanced at him. “What’s wrong?” 

Jongho picked up his glass of wine that he’d abandoned on the side and took a thoughtful sip. “It’s Wooyoung,” he said. “He told us he was going home for Christmas but I just called and he’s still at the dorm, and he’s been crying.” 

His mom frowned. “What happened?” 

Jongho shook his head. He took another sip. “He said his family were away. He couldn’t make it this year and he didn’t want to upset us by telling him.” 

She shook her head. “Boys,” he sighed. “So, when is the part when you ask if you can invite him here. You can’t fool me, I know it’s coming.” She pointed at him with a wooden spoon. 

Jongho smiled sheepishly. “I was thinking more about how to convince him it’s alright. I offered over text and he read it but I got no response.” 

She nodded. Put the spoon down. Held out her hand. “Phone please.” 

Confused, Jongho handed it over and watched as she dialled his friend, leaning with one hand on her hip. 

Miraculously, Wooyoung answered. 

“So, when are you coming?” she asked. 

Jongho heard a faint confused noise on the other end of the line and smirked. 

“Jongho told me you’re alone, so of course you’re coming here. When should we expect you?” 

Silence. 

“Don’t be silly, of course you’re welcome. Jongho never stops talking about you and the other boys, it’s like you’re here anyway.” She nodded a few times and then turned to Jongho. “He said to pass you the phone.” 

Jongho took it. “Hey,” he said. 

_“Are you sure this is alright?”_ Wooyoung asked. 

He sighed deeply. “Wooyoung. Just come. My mom literally took my phone to tell you herself. How much more welcome can you get?” 

There was some contemplative silence on the other line before Wooyoung gave in. _“Alright. Tomorrow?”_

“You’ll miss Christmas Day!” Jongho whined. “It’s only morning, you could get here by the evening." 

_“I’m not packed or anything.”_

Jongho nodded determinedly. He turned to his mom only to find that his brother had idled into the room in the meantime. He pointed to him. “Please look at today’s train times from the dorm to here.” 

His brother nodded and pulled out his phone despite having no idea what was happening. 

“Wooyoung, get packing. And stay on the phone.” 

There was shuffling on the other end before the phone was placed down on a surface on speakerphone. _“Alright,”_ a far away voice called.0 _“I’m doing it, I’m doing it. Hey, you’re really bossy for a maknae.”_

Jongho just rolled his eyes and didn't dignify him with a response. 

“There’s a train at every hour,” his brother announced. 

“There’s a train at every hour,” Jongho repeated over the phone. 

_“Alright,”_ Wooyoung’s tinny voice said. _“How about I catch the 4pm? I’ll call you when I arrive and you can direct me to your house.”_

“It’s walking distance. I’ll come get you.” Jongho poked his mom in the arm. “4pm,” he mouthed. 

_“Okay,” Wooyoung said. “I’ll hang up now and buy the ticket. See you soon.”_

“See you soon,” Jongho parroted, remaining on the line until he heard the beep of the disconnected call. He slid his phone into his pocket. 

“So…” his brother said from across the room. “What’s going on?” 

\- 

Wooyoung gripped his gym bag tightly as he stood outside the station waiting for Jongho to appear. He’d spent the whole day a little panicked about everything, knowing that he’d have to spit the truth out for Jongho eventually. He’d run to the shop on the way to pick up a bottle of wine for Jongho’s parents in the hopes it would be enough of a thank you beyond what he could express. 

He’d just started the debate the merits of pacing a little when he heard a voice call his name. 

He spun around to see Jongho walking up, a grin on his face. He waved. 

Wooyoung waved hesitantly back and matched his pace until they met in the middle of the pavement and Jongho pulled him into a quick and unexpected hug that was over before Wooyoung had properly processed it. 

“Come on,” Jongho said, beginning to walk again. “It’s not far and my family are excited to meet you.” 

“I hope you’ve only been telling them good things,” Wooyoung quipped. 

“I can imagine they’ll tell you all about how much I talk about Ateez. In fact, this will probably be a highly embarrassing two weeks for me.” He didn’t sound very annoyed with the concept. 

They walked in peaceful silence until they approached Jongho’s house and he stopped just before the door. “We’re talking about this later,” Jongho said softly. “But my family don’t know any details.” 

Wooyoung nodded. They stepped inside and the warm air hit him immediately. He was in the process of taking off his shoes when Jongho’s mom and a small entourage appeared in the doorway. 

“Wooyoung, welcome,” she said, pulling him into a hug. “It’s good to see you.” 

Her entourage repeated the sentiment. 

“Thank you for inviting me,” Wooyoung said politely but genuinely. “Uh, I brought you something.” He wrestled the bottle out of his bag and handed it over with a smile. 

“Oh, you shouldn’t have!” she exclaimed, taking the bottle. “Thank you. This way.” 

Wooyoung nervously followed her into the kitchen where she poured him a glass of wine and pushed it into his hand. “Now, we’re about to open presents and we eat afterwards. You and Jongho will be sharing a room, I hope that’s alright. Jongho’s brother is in the spare.” 

Wooyoung nodded. “I’m used to sharing a room.” 

Jongho elbowed him. “You’ll get to see me open your little surprise present.” 

Wooyoung had completely forgotten about that in the midst of all his other panicking and felt himself start turning red. He followed Jongho’s mom into the living room and willed his cheeks to calm down. 

He went through the pleasantries with the rest of Jongho’s family and let himself be manhandled into a seat on the couch. 

“We’ve heard a lot about you,” a slightly older man piped up from across the room. Jongho’s brother. 

“Oh?” Wooyoung turned to face Jongho. “All good I hope.” 

The man snorted. “Jongho doesn’t have a bad thing to say about any of you. Even his complaints turn into compliments.” 

Wooyoung laughed and punched his friend in the arm. “I knew you loved us, Jongho!” 

Jongho batted his arm away but didn’t deny it and instead picked up a wrapped present from beneath the tree and handed it to Wooyoung. “Here,” he said. 

Wooyoung took it with surprise. “For me?” 

“Yes, for you, idiot, why else would I be giving you it?” Jongho said. “You got me something, after all. Just open it.” 

Wooyoung opened it to reveal the perfume he’d been looking for and debating to buy for weeks. “How did you know?” he asked, happily surprised. “I’ve been looking at this for weeks.” 

Jongho seemed genuinely shocked by that statement. “Really?” he said. “I knew you were looking for a new perfume and this one just called out to me. I thought you’d like it.” 

Wooyoung shook his head. “Your guessing is excellent,” he said. He placed the wrapping down and pulled him into a side hug. “Thank you, I love it. You didn’t have to get me anything.” 

“Don’t be stupid,” Jongho said. He allowed someone to hand him a gift and Wooyoung immediately recognised it as his. 

He watched in anticipation as Jongho opened the present to reveal a small scrapbook he’d spent the last few months making. He flipped the book open. Wooyoung had dedicated sections to everyone: the whole group and then each individual member and photos of them with Jongho. 

“I made a unique one for everybody,” he murmured as he watched Jongho flip through it. “You guys mean a lot to me and I guess I wanted to commemorate that.” He cleared his throat. “It wasn’t in the plan to be here when you opened it, though.” 

Jongho smiled at him, a wide, sunny smile. “I love it, Wooyoung.” 

He let out a breath he hadn’t known he was holding. 

“This must have taken you ages,” Jongho mumbled to himself. “How did you even get some of these? I never posted these anywhere?” 

Wooyoung flushed guiltily. “I may have borrowed people’s phones and sent myself the pictures.” 

Jongho snorted. “Of course you did.” 

_-_

The evening passed fast and soon Wooyoung found himself and Jongho waving goodnight to his family and trecking upstairs, both tired and full of food. Wooyoung had almost forgotten about Jongho’s promise of talking until they settled into the double bed and Jongho spoke up. 

“Wooyoung,” he said. 

Wooyoung hummed in response. 

“Look at me?” Jongho asked. 

Wooyoung, a little confused, rolled over so they were facing each other. Jongho seemed grimly serious. 

“What really happened?” he asked softly, voice nearly a whisper. 

Wooyoung let his gaze drop and he began fiddling with his fingers. “They didn’t want me to come,” he said, voice almost inaudible. 

Jongho’s breath hitched a little - he evidently hadn’t been expecting that. “Why?” he asked. 

“They don’t approve of my career, or of you guys. My mom says I’m an embarrassment to her.” He felt the familiar wave of sadness rise up again. “When you called I’d been crying because…” he cleared his throat roughly. “Because they’d posted a family picture saying they were happy everyone was there. But I wasn’t there. Because they didn’t want me.” He felt himself dissolve into tears and tried to bury his head in the duvet only to be intercepted by an arm. 

Jongho pulled Wooyoung in so that he was lying close, face pressed into his shoulder.”I’m sorry,” he said. 

Wooyoung shook his head and gripped onto Jongho’s t-shirt. “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you guys,” he said tearfully. “I didn’t want to make you guys worry over Christmas.” 

Jongho sighed and pulled him in tighter. “You’re my family, Wooyoung,” he said simply. “I love you. Of course I’d worry, but I don’t mind. I could tell something was wrong before I left but I just couldn’t place it. I’m sorry I didn’t try to ask." 

“I probably wouldn’t have told you,” Wooyoung admitted. “But I’m glad you convinced me to come here. I was lonely in the dorm.” 

His tears had cleared a little and he realised exactly what position he was in. “Sorry,” he said, trying to move away from the hug. 

Jongho pulled him back in. “You can stay,” he said quietly, a little unsure. 

Wooyoung paused. “Are you sure? I thought…” he trailed off. 

Jongho wasn’t looking at him. “You’re upset,” he said simply. He shuffled a little so they were essentially cuddling. 

Wooyoung sighed and smiled into his skin. “Thank you,” he whispered. “For everything. And for the record, you’re my family and I love you too.” 


End file.
